Classics & Ancient History » Classics News and Events (tag [Greek literature])

The Art of Veiled Speech, from Antiquity to Modern Times: 1st May 2025, 4pm

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 11:59:00 GMT

Subtexts are all around us. In conversation, business transactions, politics, literature, philosophy, and even love, the art of expressing more than what is explicitly said allows us to live and move in the world. But rarely do we reflect on this subterranean dimension of communication. Words don't just say what they say, and often we can understand (as listeners) and convey (as speakers) more, or something else entirely, than what is expressly said. Every day, we send out double-meaning messages and decipher those sent to us by others, without even taking notice. Greco-Roman rhetoric provides invaluable theoretical tools for thinking about this phenomenon, notably with the rhetorical notion of “figured speech”. History offers striking examples of the use of innuendo in ancient and modern political contexts. In personal and public life, veiled speech has many functions, including diplomatic, poetic, humorous and polemical. It also raises difficulties, as it carries the risk of misunderstanding. Criteria can therefore be proposed to remedy uncertainty and guarantee interpretation.

Classical Association Annual Conference 2024: Delegate Information

Wed, 28 Feb 2024 10:04:38 GMT

Full details for delegates, speakers, and chairs.

Material Musings article for October

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 16:59:00 GMT

This month Elena Claudi's article, 'The Great Altar of Pergamon: Telephus, the Wounded King and Mythical Founder', discusses the depiction of the Telephus myth on the internal frieze of the altar, focussing on panels relating to the Trojan War.

You can read it here

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships 2023

Sun, 04 Jun 2023 19:49:36 GMT

New Material Musings blog post

Thu, 27 Oct 2022 16:29:00 GMT

This month, Danchen Zhang explores an intriguing case of mistaken identity on a fourth century BCE red-figure Attic pelike in an article entitled "Ismene in the wrong family? The tomb scene on the 'Exeter Vase'".

You can read it here

Prof Michael Scott talks to Stephen Fry

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 16:57:15 GMT

Premiering at this year's CA Conference, a conversation between our very own Prof Michael Scott and Stephen Fry! Keep and eye on the CA Social Media from Friday to watch!

Material Musings: "It's all fun and games in the gymnasium of Ancient Messene"

Thu, 29 Apr 2021 10:27:00 GMT

New blog post by Matthew Evans on gaming boards incised into the steps in the gymnasium at ancient Messene.

Read the post here

Congratulations to Dr Caroline Petit!

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 12:01:00 GMT

We are delighted to announce that Dr Caroline Petit has been awarded the prestigious Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in Germany.

The award recognises Dr Petit’s excellent academic achievements, and she will be invited to carry out a new research project of her choosing in collaboration with colleagues in Germany.

Dr Petit’s research interests lie in the textual transmission, translation and interpretation of ancient medical texts. This includes the many ways they have been appropriated up to modern times.

Her recent projects include ‘Medical Prognosis in Late Antiquity’ (Wellcome Trust University Award, 2013-2018) and ‘Rethinking Ancient Pharmacology' (British Academy - Leverhulme 2017-2019).

In 2019 she was awarded the prestigious Médaille de Chénier by the French Académie des Inscriptions et des Belles Lettres for her recent book on the Greek physician and philosopher Galen of Pergamum (Galien de Pergame ou la rhétorique de la Providence. Médecine, littérature et pouvoir à Rome, Brill 2018). This medal is a distinction awarded only to one scholar every five years in recognition of outstanding scholarship in ancient Greek.

Find out more about Dr Petit’s research.

PG Open Day on Wednesday 2 December

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 16:53:00 GMT

A PG Open Day for PhD and MA studies will take place on Wednesday 2 December.

Tragedy, the Greeks, and Us - Seminar for launch of new Centre for Research in Post-Kantian European Philosophy

Wed, 09 Oct 2019 07:40:00 GMT

The new Centre will be formally launched on Tuesday 15 October 2019 with a special seminar devoted to Simon Critchley's provocative new publication, The Greeks, Tragedy and Us. Professor Critchley (New School, New York) will talk about his book and reply to responses to it by Andrew Cooper (Philosophy, Warwick) and David Fearn (Classics, Warwick). The seminar will be held in Room S0.11, Social Sciences Building, and will start promptly at 5:30 pm. It will be followed by a Drinks Reception. All Welcome.